For those of you who don't know, Carolina Tiger Rescue is my 'home territory,' the place that first introduced me to and helped me learn about so many exotic cat species. The people and the animals at this sanctuary are so amazing! I love each and every creature- two legged and four. The sanctuary is home to tigers, ocelots, caracals, servals, one bobcat, kinkajous, and binturongs. For those close by, now is a great time to consider becoming a member, volunteer, or adoptive parent at Carolina Tiger! The sanctuary will be receiving six new cats in the next few weeks: three lions and three tigers from a closing facility in Texas. With these new additions, help is always needed to continue ensuring the high quality of life maintained at Carolina Tiger Rescue. Also, with the holidays approaching, the priority item on their wish list are Motorola radios for animal care and safety coordination. Having dropped one of these radios into a five gallon bucket of water (oops), I know how heavily they are used and how essential they are to getting things done on the 55 acre facility. The sanctuary always welcomes new volunteers, so please visit their website to learn about new volunteer orientations. Adoptive parents donate a fixed rate in honor of the of the resident animals, thereby becoming the animal's "adoptive parent." Adoptive parents enjoy visits, enrichment creation, and playing active roles in the care of those animals. And finally, if you are looking for a way to give during the holidays, consider a charitable donation for the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue. This might be cliche, but they really are some cool cats!

And if you aren't nearby or cannot afford the time to visit Carolina Tiger Rescue, visit the website to learn about how shopping Pampered Chef with give a portion of the proceeds to Carolina Tiger Rescue (good through December 6).